William dann



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ILLIAM DANN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN FIELD HOSPITAL COTS AND STRETOHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 45,479, dated December20, 1864.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WiLLIAM DANN, of the city of Cincinnati and countyot' Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented a new and ImprovedField-Hospital Cot and Stretcher Combined; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full and exact description ol the same, referencebeing had to the accom panying drawing, which makes aV part of thespecification, and represents a perspective view of my invention in use.

The object of this invention is to adapt a cot to the requirements of afield-hospital. The frame which I employ to effect this object is ofsuch construction that it may be readily put together, taken apart, andpacked for transportation, may be set up with the patient raised fromthe ground, as an inde pendent bed, having but few pieces, and these notol a character to be lost or mislaid, and fastened together in such amanner as shall render it possible for an ordinary me chanic to replacea missing piece temporarily, the whole being adapted ior the comfort ofthe patient, the exigencies of the service, and ready transportation byhand, as will be understood.

In order that others skilled in the art to which my invent on appertainsmay be enabled to fully understand and use the same, I will proceed todescribe its construction and operation.

In the accompanying drawing, A A represent two stretcher-poles, to beattached at will when the cot is required to be used as a stretcher, theends of which poles constitute handles to enable the stretcher-bearersto carry a patient with facility. On the inner sides of thtse poles aremetallic sockets B, one near each end of the respectivel poles. rlhesesockets are securely fastened to the poles by screws or other suitableattaching de\ices, and serve to retain and brace the four posts, C. Vhenthe device is used as a stretcher, the upper end of the posts C areinserted into sockets D, secured upon a bar, E, which occupies a centralposition relatively to the posts A, so that the latter, being inclinedinward, receive at top lateral support from said bar. The two posts C Cat each end of the frame are inclined toward the transverse centerthereof', and are braced longitudinally by the-sockets D, which embracethe ends of the posts C in such manner as to prevent both vertical andhorizontal movement of the same.

Inasmuch as the posts need to be braced immediately in but twodirections-toward the longitudinal and transverse centers of thefrime-the sockets or braces B may be so formed as to embrace only oneedge and the inner side of each post. It is manifest that thisconstruction of the sockets B admits of the insertion of the posts withthe utmost facility.

The frame, constructed as above briefly described, is designed to bemade of light durable material, so that it will be at once easy oftransportation and free from liability to become deranged.

F represents the cot, to provide for the suspension of which the posts Chave hooks c, and the ends of the cot rings f, one end ot' the cot beingalso provided with chains j', which enable the cot to be drawn taut orto slack, as may be desired. G represents straps, which are attached tothe respective sides of the cot, and designed to be hitched over the barE in cases where the extreme restlessness of the patient rendersitnecessary to employ means to prevent him from rolling out of the cot.

The frame will be so constructed that the bar E Will be withinconvenient reach of the person who may occupy the cot, so that bygrasping the same the patient can turn or shift his position with ease,and it may be so used to suspend a fractured leg. Stationary pins cinthe posts c prevent any vertical variation in the relative position ofthe posts c and poles A.

The manner of connecting and disconnecting the parts of the frame willbe readily understood from the foregoing description.

All the parts ofthe frame with the cot may be secured together whendisconnected by being rolled up in the cot and fastened by a strap orband, and when thus packed will occupy a very small compass.

The frame is well adapted to constitute the supporting medium of ashelter-tent. By throwing such tent or other canopy over the frame thepatient will bel effectually shielded letter bei ngconstrueted in themanner herein from the rays of the sun and protected from described andemployed to admit of the parts rain, 85e. being readily pnt together ortaken apart, as

Having thus described my invention, what explained. I claim as newJelierein, and desire to secure i WM. DANN. by Letters Patent, isWitnesses:

The combination of the poles A A, posts C, C. D. SMITH, n, bar E, withthe sockets or braces B D, the I C. W. STAFFORD.

